At the end of the first full day of the Story

[shakenit]

[Sumire is treating her journal... like a journal, because why not. It's not like any of the people she'd talk to about this stuff otherwise are here.]

I suppose I've at least found one useful inroad, but I still feel so lost, trying to make sense of this. Akechi-san would have it all figured out by now, I'm sure.

What we need is a way to coordinate without drawing attention to ourselves as outsiders, but I don't know what that would be.

[Guess who learned Reply All and doesn't know it! Someone may want to let her know this isn't quite as private as she intended.]

[Added after Hikaru's comment:]

Sorry about that, everyone. This is Sumire. I suppose I got what I asked for.

I found Siobhan-san - Sigrid, at the moment - and she's offered to help me get ready for the masquerade. At least I got to choose my own mask. Does anyone have much sense of what's going on besides that yet?

Comments

[curzed]

[He's made it a point to write in clear gothic this time instead of his usual runic script.]

Lovely of you to announce yourself like this. I had only been checking my notes!

I am one of the four giants in your midst. It seems I am temporarily a vampire, though I retain my original size and natural gifts as well. I can confirm our purpose here is to resolve the story by uniting the two rival Houses. Romance is not required. A good ending narratively is any ending at all, if our two young heros are reluctant to fall in love, they can be encouraged to friendship. Has anyone located our "Jacob" or "Tybalt", if we have Bella and Edward in play?

My currently eldest brother Roboute is Lord of the wolves. He is a practical man even as he is now. He can be maneuvered into peace, if it is sensible.

The wolves have a psyker aware of what we Editors are, she is I believe, the harpy woman. She is pleasant to work with but is utterly loyal to her Lord.

[shakenit]

I'd say 'give them a problem to use their shared and separate strengths against together,' but we'd have to make sure that problem isn't us, or they'll probably just slide back into squabbling when we leave.

[curzed]

Giving them the tools by which to construct their future does not obligate us to carry those tools for them.

Show them it works. Let them choose from there.

If you need a problem to conjure up for them to rally against, I am certain I can oblige.

[shakenit]

...Let's maybe see how the masquerade goes first.

[curzed]

It is never too early to have the wheels of imagination spinning. Then it is more difficult to be caught unexpectedly without a plan.

[shakenit]

That's... not untrue. But I do think a non-violent solution is better, if we can swing it, especially for all the innocent people caught in the middle.

[curzed]

Ideally this goes exactly to all other versions of its story, they fall madly in love, and we fake their deaths so they can abscond to some other, more forgiving city.

But if it does not, other methods will be required. I recall every tale of such pattern requires a rival who gets in the way, parents who forbid, and occasional murder attempts.

[shakenit]

Ideally to what, though? To a greater pattern, or to what these specific people need?

[curzed]

To what will achieve the goal of this Story the swiftest: peace in our fair little city.

Love is superior to some other options, don't you think? Such as erasing one side or the other in this petty conflict. Or killing all of them just to be sure it ends. A happy ending for everyone is a more satisfying tale to most.

[shakenit]

I doubt the 'peace' on technicality of everyone being dead would be at all helpful, that's true.

But if they won't go? What then?

[curzed]

Clarify: "Won't go" in this context.

[shakenit]

If they're not interested in leaving town or faking their deaths.

[ohaiyo_isekai]

Gods, if our Tybalt is Amalia with her Blood Moon theatre Troupe, that would track.

Almost certainly Mei Torioi, who ever has chafed against cruel restriction. Beware that she’s chasing her doppelganger, the Luna Argent of the Blood Moons.

[curzed]

Ah, that's the shadow then. I believe we briefly crossed paths. She seems too reasonable to be playing the troublemaker in this tale, I wonder if that will change?